Oh Yes, It's Ladies Night
by AravaT
Summary: Its the first Girl's Night Out since Castle and Beckett have done the deed and Lanie is prepared for an intense investigation to get all the dirty details from the tight lipped detective


**Disclaimer: I sadly do not own these characters, just use them as pawns in my imagination**

**Oh Yes, It's Ladies Night**

Lanie Parish sat at the bar of an up scale, low-lit club sipping her martini and checking her watch, anxious for Kate's arrival. It had been at least a month since they had the chance to do a proper girl's night. They had survived on hurried lunches and fleeting phone calls to stay in touch. Since Kate's suspension, Lanie had been picking up extra shifts at the morgue to cover for an ME on maternity leave. She barely had time to sleep, let alone go out with her best friend.

From the little communication they had shared recently, she knew that Kate was still attending therapy sessions with Dr. Burke, which eased Lanie's guilt over not being available to her friend after the whole Maddox situation. The PTSD episodes Kate must have been struggling with were a constant worry for the ME. Combine that with the ominous state of Kate's relationship with Castle, and Lanie could only imagine the isolated state Kate had hold herself up in this past month, especially without work to distract her.

Lanie crossed one leg over the other and bounced her stiletto on the toe of her foot; Kate was now fifteen minutes late. _I'll give her another five before I call her with a pre-prepared rant_, Lanie jokingly thought. She should cut the detective some slack. Lanie's mind wandered back to the partnership between Beckett and Castle- _those two idiots need to pull their heads out of their asses and see that they are madly in love with each other_, she mentally sighed. The last substantial piece of information she had heard on the two had been from Esposito's report of Kate claiming that Castle was "off the team." Kate had called Lanie prior to that day giving, what Lanie suspected was a very abridged and edited, description of the knock out fight Kate had with Castle. There had been no word or appearance from the writer since then. _Poor guy._

As Lanie ordered a second martini for herself, she caught a glimpse of Beckett approaching the bar through the crowd, "Make that two very dry martini's and two shots of tequila." (_I'm going to need the big guns to get anything out of Kate tonight) _Lanie said to the cute bartender, who held a slack-jawed, dazed expression. Following his gaze, Lanie saw it was aimed a very sexy Kate Beckett. She wore a snug black dress that landed mid thigh with a wide, plunging V neck line and capped sleeves. The whole outfit was topped off with a pair of nude, patent leather pumps, a simple clutch, and her long, honey curls cascading over her shoulders.

"_Damn_ girl! What did you just step out of Fashion Week or something? I didn't mean to tear you away from the runway." Lanie exclaimed as Kate sidled into the bar stool next to her.

"Me? Look at _you_ in your Versace, you look hot tonight," Kate complimented as they hugged and kissed each other on the cheek. "Sorry I'm so late, my hair got…um messed up as I was about to leave, and... traffic was a mess?" Kate adds lamely, sparking suspicion in the ME.

"No problem, it gave me a chance to pre-game. Come on now, you're behind a martini so drink up."

"Well then I guess I am in no position to refuse, cheers!" Kate said as they clinked glasses. They chatted about Lanie's most recent "lover boy" and how he was as "dumb as a brick, but damn pretty!" They celebrated "Sex Idiots" with a second shot of tequila and each ordered a fruity cocktail that packed a punch. Kate explained the details of her suspension and her upcoming return to the precinct. She confessed that she was nervous that the team would be less confident in her leadership after she made such monumental mistakes in the Maddox case.

"Those boys trust you implicitly and there is _no_ way they won't see you as alpha the second you step off that elevator, and if _anyone_ talks shit about you, send them on down my way and I'll beat some respect into them." Lanie laughingly comforted. Seeing her chance, now that Kate had a decent amount of alcohol in her system to loosen her up, Lanie dared to bring up a certain writer.

"So, speaking of the _boys_… What's going on with your _Writer_ boy?What's the verdict on Castle's return to the precinct? Have you talked to him since the fight?"

Kate had to fight to hide her knowing smirk at the irony of the situations. She had done oh so much more than _talk_ to Castle since her suspension. In fact, she had kicked off her suspension by groping his rather impressive package in the precinct elevator, which had turned into a heated, stumbling session of sex against the door of her apartment. Yeah, the verdict was in and Castle, particularly a _naked_ Castle, was Kate's guilty pleasure.

Kate subconsciously placed a hand on the left side of her neck where a bold love bit was hidden by copious amounts of concealer. She turned to her right and replied to the ME as innocently as she could muster when smutty images of Rick raced through her mind. "Yeah, uh, I've seen him since the suspension."

"And…"

"And, he will be returning to the precinct once I'm back, everything's back to normal. And that's that." Kate added hoping to wrap up this topic; she ordered another set of martinis. She and Castle had not seriously discussed telling others, outside his daughter and mother, about their relationship. All Kate knew was that they were in an addictive love bubble, enjoying each other's company and all that was new between them. She didn't want anything to intrude and ruin their bliss.

Seeing that Kate was not offering any more details than that and how she demurely sipped on her martini, Lanie accepted the challenge to get her friend to spill her guts. First things first: Get Kate drunk. Lanie rolled her eyes, and ignored Kate's attempts to change the subject. She called over the cute bartender, flirted shamelessly with him, and accepted two Kamakazi shots, which were courtesy of the men standing across the bar from Lanie and Kate drooling over the ladies.

"Oh please, you think I'm going to be satisfied with that vague bull shit? If you think your getting away with _that_ Imma smack you." Lanie said in a matter of fact tone, accenting her displeasure with a brow arched with attitude. "Now, throw this back," She said handing Kate her shot, "and tell me what, or should I say _who_, has you smiling like an cat at the cannery." Sighing in defeat, Kate threw back the shot in synchronization with Lanie.

"You can't possibly think getting me drunk will get me to spill? Lanie, I hold my alcohol almost as well as I hold my secrets." Kate laughed, placing misguided confidence in her tolerance for alcohol. Lanie just gave her an unnervingly stern look, silent but loud with intimidation in a way only Lanie could pull off. Kate's eyes darted around the club to avoid the glare and her legs switched to swing over the other, over and over as the minutes slowly passed.

"Fine, I'll tell you!" Kate exclaimed just to get the ME's intensity to be toned down. "Damn you Lanie, I should borrow you for interrogations." Lanie laughed, revelling in her psychological victory, and rubbed her hands together deviously.

"And I should borrow you for autopsies because you disect and over analyze _everything._"

" . Very funny," Kate sarcastically replied.

"Well go on, spill. When did you see Castle? What's going on with you two?"

" I will fully disclose the details of the situation, _if_ you promise me, on the life of your Jimmy Choos and your Dolce & Gabanna purse, that you will _not_ tell a soul."

"Yeah, sure, no soul. Now _tell_ me!" Lanie rushed in excitement."

"Nah, ah, ah. Say it." With an exaggerated sigh Lanie appeased the detective, "I, Dr. Lanie June Parish, solemnly swear on the safety of my exquisite Jimmy Choo pumps and my delicious D&G leather purse, that I will not repeat a word of what you say, to _anyone_!"

Seemingly satisfied, Kate took a quick sip of her martini and brought her left hand away from her neck to turn to her friend fully. Unfortunately, she brought the majority of her carefully applied concealer with her. Lanie's eyes zeroed in on the very visible hickey left by Castle as Kate had attempted to head out for the evening. Lanie gasped and widened her eyes, which darted from Kate's mischievous gaze to her neck. Kate's thoughts rushed back to the events that transpired as she was getting ready to leave her apartment.

* * *

_Kate leaned over the sink, closer to the mirror to wipe any eyeliner residue from under her eyes. Focused on examining her smokey eye makeup, she jumped when she felt large hands encompass her waist and slide around to fold together on her lower abdomen. _

_"Jeez Castle, you could have just completely ruined my make up ya know?" Kate lightly chastised Castle's handsy come on. _

_"You're beautiful without the make up though," he replied, pressing a warm kiss to her shoulder blade. _

_"Mhm, you're just trying to butter me up in hopes that you'll get lucky tonight." Kate accused, smiling and settling into his embrace. _

_Castle dragged a hand up her side, to her throat to swipe her carmel tresses from her neck. "I would do no such thing, detective. I only speak the truth." he claimed, nosing his way into the crook of her neck and humming in contentment._

_ "Oh really? You wouldn't be trying to tease me into sleeping over after my girl's night?" Kate asked, meeting his eyes in the mirror and arching an elegant eyebrow._

_"Kate, love, I'm hurt that you'd even insinuate that I would have such manipulative plans." Castle said placing tender pecks along her shoulder and up to her neck. Her reply was a knowing hum and and eye roll. _

_"You are just trying to taunt me into coming over to the lo..." Kate stated, being cut off by a gasp as Castle took her earlobe between his teeth and nibbled on it before laving his hot tongue over the sensitized flesh. _

_"Honestly, I wasn't planning on you coming over." He paused, pressing closer to her and breathing hotly onto her skin. "How could I when all I could think about was taking you right this very moment while you still have your dress on," he whispered in a gravelly tone that dripped with sex. On that note he spun Kate around to face him._

_ Simultaneously, he hoisted her up on the counter top and pressed his satin lips to hers. Kate instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, fingers raking through his thick hair, and spread her legs for him to stand closer. His hands moved away from her hips, where they had grabbed to lift her to the counter. One landed on her mid thigh and slid up her soft skin, hiking the dress up in exploration. The other came to gently caress her cheek and trailed down to the junction between her neck and jaw to tip her head back and gain a better angle. His tongue explored to the cavern of her mouth, toying with hers. Kate was so lost in sensation and lust that she couldn't tell if the moan that echoed off her bathroom walls emanated from her or him, either way it turned her on even more. _

_Castle broke the kiss, leaving Kate breathless and dizzy with desire. He continued and moved his attention to her neck where he placed hot open mouth kisses from her collar bone to below her ear where he gently bit, sucked, and laved with his loving mouth. She threw her head back, giving him a larger canvas of skin to paint with his tongue, and wrapped her long legs around his waist to pull her core closer to him. Castle's hand trailed down her sides, thumbs lightly grazing the graceful slope of her breast, eliciting another moan from Kate. It landed on her other thigh where he pushed the hem of her dress even further up, bunching it at her waist. _

_Finally regaining some of her faculties, Kate realized she was going to be extremely late if she let this continue. "Cas-Castle. We can't. I'm going to be late," she weakly stated, trying to muster a sound of authority. But as his lips moved back down her neck and chest, nosing his way beneath the dress, she fell back into the storm of sensation and began rocking against him, leaning back on her elbows and pulling him toward her._

_ "Mhmm wouldn't want you to be late for Lanie, so maybe just a sneak peek of what's to come should you decide to sleep at the loft tonight." Castle said with a suggestive smile and sultry tone, before taking her nipple into his mouth, grazing it with his teeth, and flicking it it with his tongue."Oh God, Castle your impossible." Kate groaned in a breathless sigh. _

_Castle's hand slid up her inner thigh to her hot core. He dragged his fingers across her damp panties and groaned. "But, then again, we don't want you to keep Lanie waiting," he mumbled in against the swell of her breast. He then brought his lips back up to Kate's lipstick-smudged ones and planted a devastatingly arousing kiss there before pulling back. Kate immediately missed the close contact, thinking he was going to leave her hanging. Then realized he was slipping his fingers under the waistband of her panties and pulling them down. She lifted her hips the best she could, shifting her weight to her elbows for leverage. _

_After he pulled them off her he encompassed her slender ankles and placed a gentle kiss on the inside of each. He moved to place them over his shoulders as he leaned down, and moved upward, sliding his hands over the smooth skin of her legs and placing tender kisses along the entire length; inner knee, mid thigh, and inner thigh. Kate stared at him with a combination of lust and love swirling in her eyes. The electrifying attention Castle paid to her body was never ending and incessantly arousing. He placed little kisses along her inner thigh, slowly inching his way closer to where she desperately desired his contact. A lips distance away from her, he placed one last open mouth kiss and nibbled on the tender skin, sucking, and marking her pristine flesh. Kate whimpered as he released the newly purpled skin, but it turned into an overwhelmed moan as his lips finally made contact with her lips. He dragged his tongue over her, spreading her juices, lightly nibbling and laving the bundle of nerves that tightened the coil of passion in her as he worked his lips, tongue, and teeth over her. Her hand gripped his lustrous head of hair to hold him to her as one of his forearms pressed her stomach down to stop her hips from bucking. With his free hand he began to tease her entrance as she grew more vocal. He then eased two fingers into her, curling them inside of her._

_"Oh, God. Castle. Yes!" she moaned in ecstasy as he continued to pump his fingers in and out of her and scissor them inside of her. She inched closer to the edge and as he pressed deeper inside of her, synchronizing to the rhythm of his sucking and licking tongue. Her orgasm shot through her with a vengeance. She called out his name enthusiastically as her climax rolled through her; eyes slamming shut, breath hitching, toes curling, abs and thighs flexing all in inexplicable, heated pleasure. He stroked her through the waves of bliss until her breath returned, her muscles relaxed, and her eyes met his. His face held a slightly smug grin as he turned his head to place a sweet kiss to her bruised inner thigh. He met her eyes again, hers glassy with satisfaction and his dark with enchanted desire. He lifted up to press his lips to hers, once, twice. _

_"Mhmm," Kate happily hummed, "That was generous of you."_

_"I call it a wise investment. Plus it will give you something to look forward too," Castle said with a dazzling smile that shone from his eyes."Now, you have got to go meet Lanie, I have poker with the boys, and we are both a bit late." He said pulling off of her to wash his face and hands at the sink. Kate still recovering, remained sitting on her bathroom counter, leaning back on her elbows, dress hiked up to her waist, legs limply hanging, breast half pulled out of the cup of her dress. He returned to her with a wide smile adorning his magical mouth. "Earth to Kate, love, you have to get going." _

_Castle pulled her until she was standing as she asked, "What time is it?" _

_"Eight fifteenish." _

_"Shit! Help me," she commanded, hurriedly tucking her breast back into the dress as he __swiped the messy lipstick from her lips and _pulled down the hem of her skirt. "You know I still need to put underwear on, Castle."

_"Oh right, sorry," he said sheepishly, clearly hoping she would be going commando."I'll go grab you some," he offered, scurrying out to the bedroom. _

_"Yeah right, like I'm going to let you pick out my panties," she called out and turned around to face the mirror. She took in her appearance; mussed hair, smudged swollen lips, slightly wrinkled dress but all in all quickly fixable and fairly decent. That is until her eyes landed on the vivid hickey adorning her neck. _

_"Damn it, Castle!" _

* * *

"Pull it together Lanie, it's just a little hickey." Kate said rolling her eyes as she took a sip of her drink to try and cool off.

"_Little_? I could make a retainer mold from that thing! Who _did_ that? Wait…"

Kate's dazzling grin was confirmation enough for the good doctor, who promptly squealed in delight, hugging Kate.

"Honey I am _so_ happy for you two! This is wonderful. I mean this _is_ a good thing, right? You and Castle are finally together right?" Lanie asked fighting her assumptions.

"Yes, it's a good thing. A very, amazingly, incredibly good thing." Kate assured.

"Okay details. _Now_." Lanie insisted

"Beginning?" Lanie nodded and Kate dove into the story, "So you know about the fight where I was absolutely terrible to him after he told me he loved me and how he waited for me and then..."

"Whoa, whoa, _whoa_ back up honey! He told you he _loved_ you? To your _face_? No bullet in your chest?" Lanie asked, shell shocked. Kate nodded with a Cheshire cat grin, unable to hide her glee.

"Yep. He said that he was protecting me because he loved me and that he had been waiting for four years for me to open my eyes and see him as more than a partner. He may have mentioned that I was maddening, challenging, and frustrating, but let's face it, I _am_."

"Wow. That man. Wow. I kind of wish I had jumped him while I had the chance. What did you even _say_ to that?"

"Ugh, Lanie I was awful to him. I was so shrouded in my anger that I couldn't see past the moment. He asked me to back off, that if he and his love meant anything to me then I would let it go. And I threw Smith in his face and refused to listen. Idiot, I know." Kate added, taking Lanie's disapproving look into account.

"Idiot doesn't even _begin_ to cover it, girl. I love you to death, but how you did that to yourself? To _him_? It's beyond me." Lanie commented.

"Are you going to let me finish? This is hardly the beginning."

"Please do, get to the sex." Lanie said eagerly.

"Oh I'll get to _that_, but I'll need another drink first."

* * *

"So you kicked him out or what?" Lanie asked prompting Kate to continue.

"No, he left. Told me we were over, he was done. And from then on my blinders went up and didn't come down until I was hanging off a fucking _building_. I guess it took imminent death to get my stupid, stubborn self to realize what I was giving up for a chase down the rabbit hole." Kate finished; losing her thoughts to that internal crisis she faced while holding onto her life by a finger.

"That's still not getting to the sex." Lanie quipped, sensing the seriousness of Kate's mood,"Or should I say the _very, amazingly, incredibly good_ sex?"

Kate laughed and continued, "So after the whole resignation thing I went to our swings to think. It started raining and before I knew it I was standing on Castle's door step completely soaked and completely lost. When he opened that door his stare just oozed hurt, anger, and betrayal. The second I saw him it was like I knew everything that we _could be_ and I knew I had almost given that up. _Again..._such an idiot."

"Then?" Lanie pushed as she slyly inched Kate's martini into her friend's hand in hopes of getting the good details of the famous Richard Castle's... _abilities_. Kate took two sips and proceeded, "And then I kissed him. He asked me what I wanted and all I could think to say was, '_you_.' So I grabbed his gorgeous face and planted one on him. But I barely got my lips on him before he pulled away and made me tell him what happened, but I just kept telling him how sorry I was and that I just _wanted_ him. Then he kissed me and _Oh. My. God_ Lanie! I cannot tell you just how great of a kisser he is. He pushed me up against the door and his lips, they're like silk."

"Yeah, I know." Lanie said absent mindedly before realizing what she had just revealed and widened her eyes to meet Kate's dumbfounded expression.

"You _know_? What in the hell do you mean,'_you know_'?" Kate asked incredulously. _Fuck._

* * *

"Lanie June Parish, you had better start explaining to me how you know that Richard Castle's lips are like silk." Kate said sternly, hiding her insecurities.

"Honestly Kate, honey, it was nothing. Barely even a real kiss."

"What? Barely a real kiss? Are you _fucking_ with me right now, because that is _so_ not funny."

"No. Okay, remember Halloween I wanna say two years ago?" Lanie asked, gearing up for her story. "When you started dating Demming?" Kate nodded with a scowl on her face. "Castle threw his annual Halloween party, he dressed as a 1940's Zoot Suit and I was a flapper of sorts?"

"God, the fact that you remember so much about that night is starting to worry me." Kate admitted.

"Trust me honey, I don't remember much. By the end of the party I was pretty far-gone, we all were. I think the only people left at the loft were Castle, Espo, Espo's skanky date, his Ryan, Jenny; back when they had first started dating Karpowski, Chavez, and me. Oh and Martha of course. You left early, remember? To go out with Tom and poor Castle looked like a kicked puppy. So anyway, the boys were trying to cheer him up and those immature idiots thought a game of Truth or Dare would be a perfect remedy. Meanwhile, Javier was flaunting his skinny little date in my face and I wanted to make him jealous, but my only options were Castle or Chavez from Vice, who has perpetual onion breath; so one thing lead to another and I was dared to kiss Castle by a plastered Ryan. And I did, just for like, few seconds maybe. But I can fully agree, even in the drunken stupor I was in, that he has amazing kissing skills." She finished by exhaling out of her puffed out cheeks, hoping Kate wouldn't get too upset.

"I cannot believe you never _told_ me this." Kate said stunned, trying to absorb the information. "Sweetie, honestly, it was nothing. I just did it to make Javi jealous and Rick was so drunk I'm certain he doesn't even remember it. Please don't get mad at him. _Or me?_" Lanie squeaked out.

"Fine, I forgive you for kissing Castle." Kate sighed out, rolling her eyes with a smile, "But I _cannot_ forgive you for not telling me what I was missing out on because, _holy shit_, I cannot get over those lips of his. When he purses them all sexy and cute I literally have to cross my legs." Kate laughed.

"Oh you got it _so_ bad, girl! Tell me about the sex, are the rumors true?"

"That depends on which rumors you're asking me to confirm." Kate replied coyly, sitting up a little straighter and sipping on her drink.

"You're seriously going to make me _ask_?"

"Hell yes, if I have to _tell_, you have to ask."

"Ugh! You're impossible woman." Lanie yelled and then took a few slow sips of her drink to stall, hoping for some liquid courage. Usually she has no shame in discussing the details of their sex lives, but it felt a little awkward asking about Castle. Usually they talked about _flings_, not friends. They had nicknames: Dr. Motorcycle boy, Lover boy, Sneezing Steve, Jack Rabbit Jason (that relationship didn't last long at all). But this was _Castle_. _No this is Writer boy. Writer boy; charmingly sexy author, not Castle; father of adorable Alexis and Kate's soul mate, Writer boy. _

"Okay continue your story about Writer boy pushing you against the door and I will interject questions as necessary." Lanie compromised.

"Well, he kissed me and it was incredible, like I have to tell _you_ that. And then while he was unbuttoning my shirt, he grabbed my hand and put both of our fingers over my scar." She explained while absentmindedly repeating the movements. "And then when he kissed me again it was like he healed it completely, it brought us full circle and I think that's when I _knew_ that things couldn't possibly go back to how they were, so I grabbed his hand, his very large, _talented_ hand, and pulled him to his bedroom. " Kate finished, smiling with wonder at the memory of their first time.

"And I assume, based on that dreamy look on your face that it was amazing?"

"Amazing doesn't even begin to cover it. He was astounding. _Remarkable_. I have a whole new respect for that hyperactive mouth of his. He can say anything he damn well pleases as long as at the end of the day he puts that mouth and tongue to better use." Kate laughed.

"Damn! You are _terrible._ Wasn't it kind of awkward because you guys are such good friends underneath it all?" Lanie wondered.

"No, that's exactly why it _wasn't_ awkward. There were no barriers to overcome. Once we both knew we were taking that step it was completely uninhibited."

"Fast and furious love making?"

"Not really. On the way to the bedroom I was sure he was going to throw me down on the bed and just pounce on me in unbridled passion because of everything that had built up for the past four years. I kind of hoped for that. But honestly, it was like he was mapping everything out. He undressed me piece by piece and just learned, observed. _The Castle Method_ as he called it later that night."

Lanie laughed loudly at that, "Classic Castle. I wouldn't have guessed he'd have the patience to go slow."

"I never said slow, it was perfectly paced and kept me in anticipation. But he was just so tender and passionate about everything, nothing about it was rushed. It wasn't _sex_ for us, as stupid and cliché as it sounds, it was making love. I mean it was the physical embodiment of all the feelings we have for each other."

"Okay what has he done to my cynical friend Kate Beckett, who loves to rate fucks on a ten point scale?"

"If I was rating Rick, he would be _off the fucking charts_." Kate laughed. "Seriously, never in my entire life have I had an orgasm come close to what happens when I'm with Rick. And somehow it's different every time, _new_ every time."

"What do you mean?" Lanie asks intrigued. She has never heard a commentary like this; of someone falling in love like this.

"I don't know, I guess its just exciting and thrilling every time. Sometimes its playful and we are laughing through it until it hits us. I thought our banter was a turn on at the precinct, but in bed it's a _total_ aphrodisiac. Then other times its intense and the look in his eye as he touches me is like a painting of love and adoration, it can be kind of scary. A couple times it's been so sweet that I _cried_, which was completely embarrassing."

"_What_? You cried?" Lanie asked, completely taken aback to hear that hard-ass, tough-cookie Kate Beckett cried during sex, not that there's anything to be ashamed of, its just so _unlike_ her.

"I know, it was humiliating. But it was a few days after my suspension and it all finally hit me. The respect that I felt like I'd lost completely shattered my confidence. Rick was so sweet though and he just kissed me and touched me and whispered things to encourage me and when we reached the edge, I just started crying. I think it was the release of everything- pleasure _and_ pain."

"What did he do when he saw you were crying?" Lanie asked, mentally reminding herself it was not Writer boy in this story. This was _all Castle_.

"He put his forehead to mine and kissed me again, then whispered to me that I was remarkable, that everything I did, even the foolish things, inspired him because he saw boundless beauty and courage in me when I rose up from those failures."

"Wow…" was all Lanie could verbalize as she wiped the awe struck tear from her eye. "Yeah, that man has a way with words if you didn't already know." Kate added, shaking off the serious mood that had settled as they realized the depths of Castle's love for Kate.

* * *

"I will now open the floor to any questions _you_ may have?" Kate said jokingly.

Both Kate and Lanie were more than buzzed. Kate felt the heavy numbness of her limbs and the open willingness to tell Lanie just how in love with Rick Castle she was. It was girl's night out after all, and Lanie deserved some juicy information. _God that fact shows how drunk I am,_ Kate thought.

"First off, stamina? Castle isn't exactly a spring chicken any more." Lanie inquired,

"I had the same concern, but _I'm_ actually the one who has to stop the fourth round."

"Wow, wait, _what_?! Fourth round? Jeez is he on Viagra or something?" Lanie stammers in disbelief.

"I swear to you he isn't. He can just _rise_ to the occasion so to speak." They both laughed at the clever euphemisms they were coming up with.

"Stamina, check. He is talented, if that love bite there is anything to go by?" Lanie asked, pointing to Kate's neck and continuing her interrogation.

"If you think _that's_ impressive, you should see the one on my inner thigh." Kate said before slapping a hand over her own mouth in embarrassment, as Lanie's jaw dropped. "I _cannot_ believe I just _said_ that."

"I will _never_ look at Castle the same way." Lanie giggled.

"Oh I literally can't look at him without wanting to climb him like a tree. I think I'm _addicted_ to him. Seriously Lanie, it's become a problem. When Alexis is in the room I have to recite bible verses just to calm my libido down."

"Addicted, come on Kate he can't be _that_ much better than anyone you've bagged before. Josh was practically a Greek god."

"Josh was physically appealing, yes, but compared to Rick? Josh was a selfish lay. Plus Castle has got an incredible physique under all those tailored suits." Kate said with a pout, slightly defensive.

"Really? _Do tell_."

"Well for starters, his arms. His biceps are huge and so defined. He lifts me up like I weigh less than a feather. And his fore arms are the sexiest things I have ever seen, with his writer muscles and all."

At that Lanie busts into laughter, doubling over the bar to try to contain it. Kate shot a confused look over at her friend, which incited another round of hysterical laughter.

"Writer muscles? _Seriously_ Kate? That has _got_ to be one of _his;_ you've been spending too much time with him if you think that doesn't sound _ridiculous_."

"Its _not_ ridiculous. He has isolated and strengthened muscles from typing so much…" Even as Kate said it, she could hear the Castle-like quality of the statement and blushed in slight sheepishness. They both ended up cracking up."Okay so maybe _Writer Muscles_ aren't a thing, but one thing you can't discredit are his hands or his fingers. Oh sweet Moses! I will spare you the details, but just know they are dexterous _and_ devious."

"So we covered his upper extremities, anything _else_? Perhaps that chest of his? I've always wondered about it." Lanie marveled, receiving a baleful look from Kate. "I'm just saying I _have_ noticed his broad chest before. No threat from me honey, retract the claws."

"Well if you must know, his chest is spectacular in person. Very broad, very muscular, very solid. And his back is so strong and sexy; I love to trace the contours and valleys after we've fooled around."

"Chest hair?" Lanie asked.

"Nope, naturally bare," Kate fired back.

"Abs?"

"Not washboard, but defined. Lickable."

"Innie or outie?"

"Belly button?" Kate scoffed a laugh. "Yes it makes a difference!" Lanie justified.

"How in the world does it make a difference?" Kate pondered. "Just answer the damn question girl."

"Innie."

"I knew it! And let me guess, Josh was an outie." Lanie offered and Kate nodded in response. "It's just a theory I have that the person you date prior to meeting, or in your case finally pulling your _head_ out of your ass and sleeping with, your soul mate has the opposite belly button. I've found eight subjects whose experiences support my theory." Lanie said with a hilarious amount of seriousness, causing Kate to crack up and tease the ME.

* * *

"So now it's time for the big guns, Katherine darling." Lanie said rolling her fingertips together with a tap. Kate nodded and smiled in affirmation.

"_Size?_"

"Heaven plus," was all Kate said and all she needed to say. Lanie and Kate have developed a lingo over the years of discussing their respective conquests, allowing them to easily run through their lover's stats, so to speak. Five inches was termed a nickel and was rarely was spoken of, six; D-9, seven; heaven. The "plus" had been established to mean larger than a half inch addition. Lanie could only muster a surprised arch of her eyebrows, to which Kate smugly nodded in confirmation.

"So that explains his…cockiness." Lanie laughed. "I figure I can forgive him for some arrogance if he has _that_ to back him up." Kate replied, giggling.

"Fetishes?" Lanie wondered, reinitiating Kate's drunken review of Castle's assets. "None." Kate quickly said, but then reconsidered, adding, "Well he _is_ kind of obsessed with my hair lately. Every time I've woken up with him, he's running his fingers through it."

"Can you blame him Beckett, you have perennial hair porn. It's no wonder he finds your locks such a turn on." Lanie scoffed.

"Oh _please_, my hair is a mangy mane in the morning. But even then he's enamored with it. Like in the shower this morn... Wait why am I _telling_ you this?" Kate caught herself as she realized just how much she was sharing.

"Because _I_ am your reverently, loyal best friend who has been deprived of these lovely details for _four_ years while you figured your shit out._ Now finish the damn shower story_."

"Oh _that's_ why," Kate started, rolling her eyes. "In the shower this morning we didn't even have sex, he just wanted to wash my hair. He was in a total trance, running his fingers from the scalp down."

"But that is so _cute._ He is _so_ smitten with you, I'm a little jealous. We will officially record his hair obsession as a borderline fetish." Lanie declared with a wide grin. "Anything else?"

"Clearly he has a thing for my neck." Kate said displaying the purple flesh below her ear. "He's always giving me little pecks here," she explained, pointing to the strip of skin just above her collar bone, "And when he decides he wants to torture me he does this little nip, suck, lave combination here," Kate expounded, circling her finger below her jaw. "Which could send me over the edge at times. He loves it."

"Mhmm, I _love_ when guys pay attention to those sensitive spots. Javi did something like that." Lanie revealed as the alcohol affected her filters.

"Any new developments on that front?" Kate asked, shifting the focus onto the Esplanie situation.

"Actually, he called me about a week ago to 'get any details he missed on the Turner case'." Lanie explained shifting into a low Esposito voice with air quotes. "We actually ended up talking for an hour, all friendly things. But it reminded me that under his macho exterior is a sweet, caring guy. It made me miss him."

"Is that good? Missing him sucks, but maybe there is potential for things to move into something better?" Kate suggested in hopes of showing Lanie how perfect her and Javi are together.

"I don't know yet. We are both single right now, minus my 'sex idiot'." She replied, cracking up at that term yet again.

"Well, if you're asking _my_ opinion," Kate begins.

"Which I'm _not_." Lanie cuts in.

"_If you were_ asking for my brilliant, insightful opinion, then I would say you should give him another chance."

"I'll consider it, but I'm not going to jump back into a relationship with him just because he shows a bit of interest in me again. He has to work for it, _pull a Castle_ so to speak."

"Pull a Castle?" Kate questioned.

"Kate, Castle has been working to get you for _four fucking years_, non-stop. I mean the man wrote book-long _love letters_ to you, tried to jump in front of a _bullet_ for you, faced a dirty bomb _with_ you. Everything he does is _to_ you, _for_ you, or _with_ you. The least Javi can do is ask me to dinner." Lanie said with an exaggerated eye roll.

"Give Javi the chance to pull a Castle and he will." Kate said unable to hide the wide grin plastered on her face as she thought about all that Castle has done to, for, and with her. "Yeah, yeah, enough of Javi and I, let's dance." Lanie declared, threw a tip on the counter, and dragged Kate into the mob of bodies pulsating to the slightly Latin club music.

"Uhh, you know Lanie I'm pretty tired. I think I am going to call it a night," Kate said before they could be engulfed by dancing bodies, Kate really only wants to engulf one body.

"Oh really? Your tired?" Lanie sarcastically asked, accented with an arched eyebrow. Kate nodded and tried to suppress the drunk and dirty grin that would give her away her real intentions for the rest of the evening.

"You wouldn't be wanting to leave so you could go jump your boy and take advantage of his, what did you say, _dextrous and devious fingers?" _

"Oh never. I'd never ditch you for a booty call. I'm just really exhausted; I'll probably go home put on my ratty sweats, read, and then crash," Kate replied, managing an obviously fake yawn.

"Mhmm, I'm not buying it but I'll let you off the hook this once since you totally spilled your guts tonight and you will probably have a massive hang over in the morning."

"If I had spilled my guts, you would know what Castle had done to make me late," Kate said with a wink before leaning in and for a hug and a kiss on the cheek from her best friend.

"Get out of here girl, go get some lovin'."

* * *

Later that night, after a tipsy Kate pounced on a sleepy Castle as soon as he opened the door, they laid in bed thoroughly sated and exhausted. Kate carded her fingers through Rick's hair, enjoying they weight of his head laying on her chest and his body covering hers; His hot breath washing over her slope of her breast as they both came down from their intense high. Kate felt his smile curve against her skin.

"So what did you and Lanie talk about that got you all hot and bothered?" he asked, looking up at her with a devilish grin and a mischievous glint in his eye .

"Oh, you know, just girl stuff: shopping, shoes,...investments." Kate replied innocently, alluding to his 'wise investment' from earlier that evening.

"You totally talked about me, didn't you?"

"Night Castle."

**Author's Note: Please comment! I'd love to hear what you think! xoxo D**


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